a. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of automatically peeling the electrodeposited metal plate (hereinafter called `metal plate`) off the cathode base plate (hereinafter called `base plate`), which is applicable to the metal recovering process in electrolytic refining of metal in which a cathode plate has a metal plate electrolytically deposited on its surface.
B. Description of the Prior Art
As the most prevalent means of peeling the metal plate off the base plate in the prior art, there are the method comprising the steps of previously forming a fine void between the base plate and the metal plate by applying a mechanical impact to the surface of the upper edge of the metal plate, then stripping a part of the metal plate off the base plate by means of a vacuum pad and subsequently separating the two plates from each other by inserting a wedge in between their boundary surfaces, and the method comprising the step of jetting a high pressure fluid toward the contact surfaces of the two plates to thereby peel the metal plate off the base plate.
However, the former method is defective in that, despite the requirement for sufficient smoothness of the surface of the metal plate enough to make the vacuum pad work, due to the differences of such conditions as the time spent in electrolysis, the state of electrolyte, etc., the surface of the metal plate cannot always be smooth: rather it can present a remarkably rough, uneven condition, and sometimes pinholes occur on the metal plate, thereby rendering the vacuum pad practically useless.
As for the latter method, it is also defective in that, depending on such conditions as pressure, etc., a vacuum may be produced between the metal plate and the base plate to thereby give rise to the phenomenon that the metal plate is pulled back toward the surface of the base plate, rendering it difficult to effect the peeling-off. Moreover, it has such defects that, because of the requirement for a great deal of motive power in producing the high pressure fluid, it entails a high cost, is always attended with danger, and requires a large equipment to dispose of the used fluid.